Reversible door lock



July 22, 1947.

0. YGHIA REVERSIBLE DOOR LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

Filed Dec. 1, 1944 @NII.

0. GHIA REVERSIBLE DOOR LOCK Jul 22, 1947.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1944 Jul 22, 1947. Q GHlA REVERS IBLE DOOR LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec 1, 1944 Patented July 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE DOOR LOCK Orestes Ghia, Montevideo, Uruguay Application December 1, 1944, Serial No. 566,184 In Chile March 25, 1944 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel type of lock for doors or windows.

The component parts of the lock are so designed, constituted, and arranged as to be reversible and to avoid the necessity for constructing separate locks for right-hand or for lefthand use and for doors opening from inside toward outside, or vice versa, which necessity operates as an unfavorable factor in the cost of locks. These disadvantages are avoided by my novel type of lock which is embodied in such a form that it is independent of the sense of looking. I provide a unique type of lock with its elements reversible and invertible which is able to adapt itself to any kind of locking requirements to any kind of door or the like in any sense of locking by the convenient disposition of its interchangeable invertible elements in a form which is convenient in each case.

An object of the present invention resides in A providing a novel lock having a latch bolt which is interchangeable in position with respect to the face of the lock to be actuated, the latch bolt being integral with the guide member which is actuated under control of the knob spindle, whichactuation may be through an element of the same latch bolt, and the action of an expansion spring which normally urges the latch bolt to its latching position, or by action of or with the guidance of a sliding member to directly actuate a member for obtaining the retraction of the latch to permit opening the door.

Another feature of the present invention resides in providing a novel propelling hub element for the impelling slide element of the latch, this propelling element, integral with a toothed pinion, operatesin any position, and accordingly maybe actuated in a given case at any convenient angle of its position, different teeth being utilized.

Another feature of the present system consists in providing a locking system and its operating elements for the movement of the same which is made integral with members of such form that they have a plane of symmetry, with the control and operating elements disposed symmetrically with reference to this plane of symmetry and in correspondence with each other, making it possible to invert each one of the members without modifying the operation and,

to that extent, this mechanism may be provided with its own proper given operating duplicated part as by simple inversion of the member embodying that part.

Another feature of the present invention con sists in the provision of a dead lock mechanism comprising a tumbler of special design which is substantially rectangular and moves between iarginal guides and on which are disposed racks and which are actuated by helical expansion springs, instead of the known types of lever which are capable of being raised or remaining at rest which act unilaterally, this type of tumbler mounting permitting an infinite number of possible combinations and consequently making it possible to have an individual key for each lock Which will work in no other lock.

With these and other features in view and which will be set forth in further detail hereafter, the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which are represented a preferred form of embodiment, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lock with the front side plate of the casing removed, illustrating the assembly and the operating relation between its elements and their relative positions.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the lock casing with front side plate in position.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the exposed facing plate of the lock which is exposed when installed on'a door, showing the latch plate with latch bolt removed, the dead bolt, and the mounting screw openings.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the latch bolt illustrating its special contour and the manner of mountingit on the latch plate.

Figure 5 is an edge View of the latch bolt and plate shown in Figure 4,and illustrates the position and relation of the spring therefor.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the latch plate carrying the latch bolt, illustrating its special form and its relation with the latch bolt, and its spring.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the reversible sliding yoke which actuates the latch plate.

Figure 8 is a horizontal cross-section of the actuating pinion of the knob spindle hub, which actuates the yoke.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the pinion shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a, perspective view of the back stop element against which the two main yoke springs abut and whose slots guide the yoke.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the locking dead bolt illustrating its form as well as the position of the recesses for insertion of the springs and showing the actuating facets.

Figure 12 is an elevation of the tumbler plate which is elevated to permit the key to move the lock bolt and which may be changed as desired to obtain different keys.

Figure 13 is a cross section on line l3-l3 of Figure 11 showing the shank with a tumbler and tumbler spring added in operating position.

Figure 14 is a horizontal section on line I l-I4 of Figure 1 showing the latch bolt and plate, and the yoke plate.

Figure 15 is a vertical section on the line l-l5 of Figure 1 showing the bayonets of the yoke plate guided in the slots in the back stop element, and the knob spindle hub.

Figure 16 is a vertical section on the line l5-l 5 of Figure 1, showing the yoke plate and the latch plate and their sliding connection.

Figure 17 is a vertical section on the line ll-l l of Figure 1 showing the operative relations of the yoke plate and the latch plate and latch bolt, and

Figure 18 is a side elevation of the back stop member showing the slots for guiding the bayonets of the yoke plate for sliding movement when the knob spindle is turned.

In all views, the same reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the lock includes la, casing l which is rigidly attached to the face plate 2. Casing I has back plate la and front plate lb. The interior of this casing is subdivided by an intermediate partition 3 which separates the latch mechanism and the dead bolt mechanism which are independent of each other, the one corresponding to the latch bolt and its actuating and mounting elements, and the other corresponding to the dead lock properly so designated and its parts. The mechanism of the latch bolt proper is formed integrally with the usual sloping curved latch face (Figures 4 and 5) and has the fluting of the guide portion 5 provided on the top and bottom edges; this latch bolt 4 being bolted to a latch plate 5 by means of retaining screws 1, which makes it possible to detach and mount the latch bolt 4 with the sloping convex face toward either front or back, as required, for either right-hand or lefthand locking. Fluted guide portions 5 are symmetrical about the longitudinal median plane of the latch bolt.

In this manner the latch bolt 4 is rigidly secured to the latch plate 6. The latch assembly 4-6 has a sliding back and forth play guided by bolts ll in the slots 9 provided in the body of the sliding yoke or tail piece member I!) which is at once a guide and propelling element of the latch bolt; this yoke member [El being of special form and profile is shown in Figure 7. Movement of the latch assembly 4-6 is independent of the movement of the sliding yoke ll] when pressure is applied to the latch bolt and it is thus guided by the guide slots 9 in the yoke, the play being limited by the length of the slots 9 within which operate the studs or bolts ll screwed to latch plate 6. The latch plate is urged outwardly by the action of an expansion helical spring l2, one of whose extremities is inserted in recesses l3 provided for this purpose in latch plate 6 and latch bolt 4 and whose other extremity is supported on a fixed block l4 integral with casing I (Figure 1), which has a circular nub for that purpose.

From this description, it will be understood that the latch assembly 4-6 is displaced back into the casing when pressure is applied to the latch bolt 4, as by closing the door, and on re moving this pressure the assembly 4-6 returns to its original projected position under the action of the expansive force of spring i2.

As shown in Figure '7, the sliding yoke or tail piece ll) is in one piece and is provided with the guide slots 9 to permit the free to-and-fro play of the latch bolt 4 and the latch plate 6 relative to yoke plate Ill, and is also provided with recess Hi to avoid the block i l. The extreme left edge of yoke l0 comprises flanged lugs l1 disposed perpendicularly to the plane of sliding yoke l0 and extending toward the front side plate lb of the casing, and other flanged lugs 18 also perpendicular to the plane of yoke H], but extending toward the back side plate la. The purpose of the flanged lugs l1 and I3 is to engage the edge of latch plate 6 and thus to control the displacement of the latch assembly 4-6 by the application of the lugs IT or l8 when the yoke I0 is displaced, the lug I! or the lug I8 acting according to which way yoke I0 is set with reference to latch plate 6.

The displacement movement of yoke I0 is obtained by acting on a toothed rack l9 which is provided on the yoke l0. Yoke ID has two such racks l9- symmetrically disposed with reference to its central longitudinal axis, so that it may be inverted. The toothed pinion 20 (Figures 8 and 9) of the knob spindle hub has eight teeth and engages one rack l9, and has a square central recess for receiving the knob spindle. The toothed pinion 20 is mounted in the position shown in Figure 1 so that its teeth 22 engage in one of the two racks l9, so that turning knob hub 20 retracts the latch bolt 4 and thereby provides for the opening of the door,

In addition to the members described, the yoke it comprises guide bayonet pins 23 acting as a guide for the two main yoke springs 24 which, as they are compressed, act to cause the return to the original position of the yoke Ill, and which bayonet pins at the same time act as guides for the lineal displacement of yoke ll] in slots 25 of the back stop member 26 against which there also rest and are supported the helical springs 24 (Figure 10). The back stop member 26 has terminal tips 25a which engage apertures 25b in the back or front casing plate. The amount of play of yoke if! is limited by the position of shoulder 21, which is engageable with the portion of back stop member 26 adjoining slot 25.

As shown particularly in Figure 18, the slots 25 in back stop member 26 have their inner edges spaced from the median line lying half-way between the top and bottom edges of the slotted face, which edges engage the front and back side plates of the casing. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the yoke plate I8 is guided by its bayonets 23 sliding in slots 25, in a plane displaced toward the back side plate of the casing, and back of latch plate 6. Yoke l0 and latch plate 6 are each relatively thin, not over onefifth of the depth of easing l. between front and back side plates. The slots 25 in each of the slotted faces of back stop member 26 are symmetrically disposed with reference to a plane passing through the center of the slotted face and perpendicular to the front and back plates of the casing, and the slotted faces of the back stop member 26 are symmetrical with reference to a plane through the central longitudinal axis of yoke l0 and perpendicular to the front and back plates of the casing.

As seen particularly in Figures 3, l4 and 17, the latch plate 6 is maintained in a position equidistant between the side plates la and lb of the casing, and symmetrically with respect to the vertical. plane of symmetry half-way between and parallel to the casing side plates la and lb. The latch bolt recess in facing plate 2 is also symmetrical about this plane of symmetry, so latch plate 6 is symmetrically disposed in the symmetrical latch bolt recess in facing plate 2, as shown in Figure 3. The spacing of yoke l0 and the edge of slot 25 from this plane of symmetry is substantially half of the thickness of latch plate l0 plus enough to permit easy sliding movement of latch plate 6 relative to yoke l0.

As shown particularly in Figure 5, latch bolt 4 is provided with a slot on its face opposite its sloped convex face, for receiving the latch plate Ill, and the edges of this slot are equidistant from the front and back edges of the latch bolt, and this slot is symmetrical with reference to the above-mentioned plane of symmetry half-way between the casing side plates. Consequently, the latch bolt 4 can be reversed to have its sloping convex face either front or back by removing screws 1 and pulling it oil latch plate 6 and replacing it with the sloping convex face reversed This makes it possible to easily change the latch from right-hand to left-hand.

It is also possible to invert back stop member 26 to have its tips 25a engage apertures 25b in front plate l-b instead of in back plate l--a as shown. Yoke member ID will then be changed by removing bolts H to slide on the side of latch plate l0 nearest front side plate lb. In this case it is lugs 18 which engage the edge of latch plate-6 instead of lugs H.

In'case one rack l9 becomes badly worn, it is possible to invert yoke l 0 so as to place the other rack l9 into engagement with pinion 20. This may be done without changing back stop member 26 from the position shown in Figure 15 by inverting yoke l0 and at the same time moving it from the one side to the other side of latch plate 6.

This same result may be accomplished without changing yoke ill from one side to the other side of latch plate 6, by inverting back stop member 26.

Because of the symmetry of latch plate 6 and the symmetry of yoke l0, these two can be inverted as a unit without removing bolts ll, providing back stop member 26 is inverted.

As can be appreciated from the description and by inspection of the drawings, each one of the integral pieces of the mechanism of the latch bolt ha its elements disposed in a duplicated and symmetrical form, which permits the inversion of the position of any one of them or even all of them without inverting the whole assembly, which, to that extent, makes possible as to the appropriate elements, the replacement of any operative part to take care of wear, and at the same time makes it possible to change the sense (right or left) of locking in the required manner in each case.

The inclusion in the mechanism of the latch bolt, of the unit consisting of the toothed pinion and rack, brings about an important advance in the lock industry, since there are obtained in my look all the mechanical advantages inherent in the known system using pinion and gear for the transmission of an actuating impulse and there is obtained a movement of precision with a minimum applied manual force. This precision reduces Wear to a minimum amount and usefully employs the entire energy applied by the knob and results in a continuous action of great smoothness and free from noise and with a pres- 6 sure on the latch which is minimum and not heretofore attainable.

The mechanism described permits furthermore the arrangement of the square aperture in the spindle hub and its knob spindle either with sides horizontal and vertical, or according to the American system with the sides oblique at 45, or in any other position, making it possible thereby to insert any type of spindle, which is not possible with looking systems now in use. This is made possible by pinion 29 havin eight teeth, that is, the angular spacing between the adjacent teeth is evenly divisible into 45.

The dead bolt lock mechanism for locking the door, which occupies the lower part of casing], has the followin arrangement of elements. A look dead bolt 28 has a sliding shank 29 provided with a terminal flange 30, and bolt 28 has a shoulder 3|. These elements 30 and 3| define guides between which slide vertically a plurality of tumbler elements 32 which are movable vertically up and down when a key is applied thereto. Tumbler elements 32 are substantially rectangular and the two opposite vertical edges engage guide elements 30, 3|. 3

The tumblers 32 and the sliding shank 29 are maintained in relative operative relation by helical springs 33,33, inserted in recesses 34, 34,

and causing return of the tumblers upon. completion of the action on them of the bit of the key. The action of the tumblers controls the movement of the rack comprising projections 35; the dimensions of the tumbler teeth are a direct function of the depth of the grooves of the bit of the key with which they are operatively related. l

The provision of three teeth in rack 35 in the arrangement shown purovides a double locking, that is, turning the key twice to fully project the bolt.

Upon applying the bit of the proper key to the tumblers of the look there is produced on them a vertical displacement corresponding to its marginal contour, thus permitting the lineal movement of the bolt, upon the disengagement from the rack 35 of the stud 36; this lineal movement is obtained by the applied force and communicated to the lock bolt 28 from the key bit through the shoulder 31 of plate 29 in the usual manner (Figure 11). When the key releases the tumblers, the springs 33 cause the descent of the projections 35 producing the blocking of the bolt by the insertion in one of the recesses between the projections 35 of the stud 36. It is evident that by varying the form and spacing of the marginal contour 31 and 38 of the tumblers 32 (Figure 12)., the design and cut of the bit of the key will be varied, making it possible thus to obtain a plurality of combinations and a large number of different keys, each one of them working only in one look and.- not working in any other lock.

From the description and the accompanying drawings, there will be clearly apparent the advantages provided by my present system of looking herein disclosed, both as to operative simplicity of its various operating positions between the opening and closing of the bolt, and the total or partial displacement of the bolt, both as to the factor of security, and the factor of automatic action of the .closing of the bolt and to the moving and control elements.

Further, there will be apparent the reversibility of the elements for obtaining right-handed or left-handed locking or locking from inside to outside, or vice versa, since the elements are reversible, which furthermore permits the obtaining of any desired kind of locking arrangement and replacement of worn. parts by a simple inversion of its constituent members, and the Whole constituting a locking system of universal applicability.

It will be apparent that I have provided a novel system of locking which has important advantages in use. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention is susceptible to modifications to adapt the same to particular conditions, and all such modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims I consider to be comprehended within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a lock, a casing having front and back plates, a facing plate for said casing having a latch bolt aperture symmetrical with reference to the median plane of said casing which is parallel to and midway between said front and back plates, a latch bolt dimensioned to slidingly fit in said latch bolt aperture and having a striking external sloping face, the internal face of said latch bolt opposite said sloping face being provided with a longitudinal slot parallel to and equally spaced from the edges of said internal face which are parallel to the front and back plates of said casing, a latch plate adapted to fit in the slot in said latch bolt and slidable in said casing, removable retaining means for removably holding said latch plate in said slot in said latch bolt, a knob spindle hub, actuating means movable within said casin and actuatable by said hub and connected and adapted to slidingly displace said latch plate and latch bolt perpendicularly to said facing plate, and being arranged to maintain said latch plate symmetrical with reference to said median plane of said casing parallel to and midway between said front and back plates of said casing, resilient means for normally maintaining said latch bolt projected said actuating means being an actuating plate member having bayonet portions, and a guide member held between said front and back plates of said casing and provided with slots parallel to but unequally spaced from said front and back plates and adapted to slidingly receive said bayonet portions.

2. A lock as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating member further being provided with a shoulder portion adjacent asaid bayonet portion adapted to engage the face of said guide member adjacent a said slot thereof and limit the traverse of the displacement of said plate member.

3. A lock as set forth in claim 1, wherein the actuating means comprises a plate member provided with slots extending in the direction perpendicular to said facing plate, and said latch plate being provided with bolts extending to be slidingly received in said slots to permit sliding relative movement of said. actuating plate member and said latch plate.

, ORESTES GHIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 889,543 Ozorozy June 2, 1908 1,829,596 Lality et al Oct. 27, 1931 199,853 Moesta Jan. 29, 1878 907,389 Myhre Dec. 22, 1908 2,290,728 Best July 21, 1942 Re. 2,361 Munger Sept. 18, 1866 92,354 Pfieghar July 16, 1869 88,261 Aston Mar. 30, 1869 1,158,446 Cofiin Nov. 2, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 200,504 Germany July 21, 1908 

